Gasoline

Derive Efficiency Hosts Track Day

March 13, 2017
• by Staff

Vehicles are lined up for the acceleration test, pitting calibrated vehicles with uncalibrated ones. Photo by Andy Lundin

On March 3, Derive Efficiency hosted a track day for public and private fleets and the media, showing the differences in performance between a stock vehicle and one calibrated for optimum efficiency. The event took place at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

Attendees first learned how to calibrate a vehicle in 15 minutes, showing reduced engine RPM during idling. This was followed by road tests comparing calibrated and uncalibrated vehicles to solve problems of idling, speeding, harsh shifting, and jackrabbit acceleration.

Derive's Track Day started with attendees learning how to calibrate vehicles. Photo by Andy Lundin

The quarter-mile acceleration test on Ford Explorers and Chevrolet Tahoes showed how the vehicles can be calibrated to improve acceleration for law enforcement vehicles. Side-by-side, the calibrated vehicles consistently accelerated faster.

The road course had drivers taking Ford Taurus sedans down a demo route. The vehicle with optimized shift points showed improved drivability and responsiveness for police officers, without increasing horsepower and torque.

The payload test and speed limiter demo had a Ford F-150 and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 each hauling 1,000 lbs. of sand. One vehicle was calibrated for a lower acceleration rate and speed limit of 40 mph. This demo showed the ability to limit jackrabbit starts without compromising overall power for improved fuel efficiency.

The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in December fell to 25 mpg — down 0.2 mpg from a revised November value, according to Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak, researchers from the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The national average price of unleaded gasoline jumped 5 cents to $2.49 per gallon in the first week of 2018 and has reached a level not seen since 2014 during the week that starts the new year, according to AAA.

China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban.